U.S. House Minority Whip Steve Scalise presses for vote on abortion bill; GOP members of Louisiana delegation back him

U.S. House Minority Whip Steve Scalise is leading the charge on a long-shot effort to force a vote on a measure that would punish doctors if they don’t try saving the lives of infants born after botched abortions.

The bill, dubbed the "Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act," is unlikely to get the 218 signatures it needs to get to override the Democratic leadership's decision not to put it to a vote on the House floor.

All four of the other Republicans who represent Louisiana in the House — Reps. Ralph Abraham, Garret Graves, Clay Higgins and Mike Johnson — have signed Scalise’s petition, and Republican U.S. Sens. Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy both signed on as co-sponsors and supported the “born alive” legislation when it was vetted in the upper chamber.